The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-04-30
BEGINNING A LIBRARY.
A Few Reliable Suggestions on the Proper
Selection OF Books.


A Few Reliable Suggestions ON the Proper
Selection OF Books.
There comes q time in the life OF most
young readers when he or she is anxious
to own library. The desire is often
frustrated, sometimes by poverty. but
as frequently by wrong idea as to
what makes library. Middle-aged
readers gaze somewhat sadly, now and
then, upon collection of books which,
years ago, they labeled my Library"
1t has not grown; It has been but little
used; and the owner is seldom drawn
to 1t. It is simply a number OF bound
volumes placed upon shelves.
When the reader began It he thought
that collection of books made library.
He added volume after volume; felt q
n pride in seeing the collection increase,
and one day woke up to the fact that he
had no mental use for lot of books
gathered without q purpose and ar
ranged upon no plan. II young per-
son would own q library he should begin
by gathering books which he can, will
and must use. His pocket money may
amount to only few dollars; but he
will act judiciously If he spends every
penny of it for one book. which he will
use frequently rather than for dozen
books, the only parts of which he really
admires are the backs and covers.
Nine boys out of ten will act wisely
If they make an unabridged dictionary
the cornerstone" of their libraries.
To purchase it may devour the savings
of year, but the dictionary will provo
good investment, even at that cost.
Let the next purchase be good atlas,
one that represents the earth, and not
merely that portion of it known as the
United States Of America. There are
some things happening every day out
side Of this country, which is not tho
only stage on which tragedies, melo-
dramas and farces are enacted. The
dictionary and atlas should be supple
mented by a biographical dictionary, by
a dictionary of dates, and by Brewers
Dictionary of Phrase and Fable"
With these five books a boy or girl is
prepared to read intelligently the news
paper and monthly magazine. To be
sure, the library is very small, but if it
is daily used it will increase in value.
The intelligent reading of news
paper or magazine includes the habit,
which every young reader should form,
of consulting the library of five
volumes to learn the meaning of
words and illusions, the position of
places, the time of historical events, the
peculiarities of persons mentioned in
the periodicals. Then let no one of
these pass without challenging it to
stand, while you learn all about it.
Reading in this way, you will soon find
IL necessary to increase the small
library by adding to it an encyclopaedia.
Some of these may seem too costly for
the ordinary purse, but the least costly
will be an acquisition of the right sort.
The library, thus increased by healthy
growth, may be enlarged by adding.
from time to time, any book which
responds to the readers bent of mind,
or gratifies his desire for knowledge or
for mental exhilaration. There are
times when every reader desires to be
taken out of himself and away from
his surroundings. The book which
enables him to fly away and be at rest,
and then returns him without injury to
his everyday life, is serviceable book.
my library" says an intelligent
writer, ''should grow with my mind,
my taste and my desire for knowledge.
1t thus becomes my serviceable friend,
to whom may turn for instruction.
refreshment and exhilaration. know
it; and it seems so real companion
that muse if it is not the substance of
what is, and I only the shadow of what
may he " Youkh'S C11nnniai0n